


Save The Cat

by hikawasrinko (ranpoandpoe)



Series: Bandori Rarepair Week 2020 - Spooky Season Version [4]
Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game), She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - She-Ra Fusion, Bandori Rarepair Week 2020, Episode: s05e05 Save The Cat, F/F, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Misgendering, Nonbinary Aoba Moca, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, They/Them Pronouns for Moca Aoba, Transphobia, reference to religious trauma, tomoe and moca as adora and catra respectively
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:00:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27238441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ranpoandpoe/pseuds/hikawasrinko
Summary: “I was compassionate, but you didn’t want my mercy. But She-Ra, you miscalculated,” He now stood in front of Tomoe’s body, who crawled on the ground. Behind them, Moca just watched everything, passively. “I see all. I know all. You thought yourself worthy to challenge me, but you, She-Ra, is nothing but a false hero. A girl who thought it’d be fun to play God, and the universe decided to play along. The last of the First Ones to fall at my hands, leading her companions to destruction.”
Relationships: Aoba Moca/Udagawa Tomoe
Series: Bandori Rarepair Week 2020 - Spooky Season Version [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1980124
Kudos: 3





	Save The Cat

**Author's Note:**

> bandori rarepair week - day 4: crossovers / historical | tw: transphobia, lesbophobia, misgendering, violence, religious trauma & metaphors of conversion therapy 
> 
> for the record, moca's pronouns are actually they/them but i included a lot of referenced transphobia and homophobia in this, with the parallels between horde prime and religious trauma in she-ra, which could be seen as a metaphor for conversion therapy, so. the pain moca says tomoe's caused was basically lesbianism, which can be added to horde prime's misgendering of moca.

“Forgive my unseemly state. It’s a tedious task, but a necessary one to maintain this vessel,” Despite Tomoe being the one who’d just entered, it was Horde Prime who announced her arrival. Her anger was already visible, just by looking at him. 

“This is how this is going to go,” She started, walking towards the metallic chair Prime was sitting on. “We’re gonna make a deal.  _ You  _ are going to give me Moca,” Of course, Tomoe started with her main goal. Her main  _ obligation,  _ even. “Then, you’ll let me leave again, free and clear, because I have something you want. The Heart of Etheria, a weapon only She-Ra can activate. And if you don’t do what I say- if you don’t give them back to me, then I’ll use it and believe me, destroying you and your empire for good will be the first thing I’ll do.”

Horde Prime then proceeded to laugh, as if the whole situation was a mere comedy play he was watching and observing the cast’s funny expressions. “Do you think that’s funny?!” Tomoe screamed, clenching her fists. She was ready to beat him up, but he just seemed to be amused. 

“You’re not going to use that weapon, She-Ra.” He stopped laughing, but there was still a giggle stuck in his eye. “If you were to use it, you would have already done so. You’d never risk the safety of your Moca,” Prime concluded mockingly. He didn’t say much, but there were so many implied words between the lines… he was condescending, as if those feelings were a children’s game, as if that made her stupid. Horde Prime was mocking her supposed weakness.

“You don’t  _ know  _ me,” Tomoe now pointed her sword at the ruler. She’d been more patient than she should’ve been so far, but that trait of her was coming to an end. “And you don’t know what I’m capable of.”

“Oh, but I do,” The tubes that were stuck in Prime’s head and neck reconnected themselves as the clones worked behind the chair. “I am old, Tomoe, far older than you can imagine,”  _ Tomoe  _ wouldn’t, he was clear. But maybe, She-Ra might. “My brothers lend me their life force and when one vessel fails me,” He puts his hand on the arm of one of the clones he passed by on his way to Tomoe. “I simply elect another. Thus, Prime has remained eternal and constant through the centuries. There’s something familiar about you, She-Ra. A face I haven’t seen in a thousand years. Not since I faced your ancestors,” He held Tomoe’s chin and she rapidly shook her face away from his grasp. “And crushed their once-mighty empire beneath my heel. You call them the First Ones,” He talked about destroying civilizations as if it was small talk. “And you’re one of them… are you not, Tomoe?

“I thought they were all gone, but clearly, some faction remains. The tyrants abandoned you in a forgotten planet, in a shadow dimension and made you their weapon… their She-Ra.”

“I don’t fight for the First Ones!” Tomoe shouted, angrier than ever. “I am  _ not  _ anyone’s weapons! I fight for myself, for my friends and my home. Now, I’m going to ask for the last time,” Tomoe got closer to Prime, menacingly. “Where. Is. Moca?!”

“Tomoe?!” Moca’s voice was finally heard, cracking while screaming Tomoe’s name.

“Moca?!” Tomoe called back, concern overflowing. “Where are you?!”

“Ah, of course,” Prime was once again clearly amused. “Your Moca. They hoped you’d come for them, poor thing… so all I had to do was wait. As they would’ve said, you’re  _ so, very  _ predictable, Tomoe…” His eyes were no longer fixed on Tomoe, but on something behind her. Or, more specifically, someone. “Come here, child.”

Two clones and a third, hooded figure stepped the stairs behind Tomoe, who observed them, not sure she was prepared to see whatever the green and white vests were hiding. Finally, when the stairs were over and the three beings were relatively closer to Tomoe, the one in the middle removed their hood and Moca’s face was revealed: their hair had been cut short and their eyes were fully green. “Hello, Tomoe,” They greeted, passively and with an unnaturally blissful voice.

“What did you do to them?!” Tomoe shouted as she ran towards Moca, but she was caught by two clones that didn’t seem to be Prime’s brothers, as he referred to them, but guards or soldiers instead. Moca then walked calmly towards Prime’s throne, showing no rush whatsoever, and getting down on their knees in submission. 

“I’ve made  _ her _ anew,” Prime rested his hand on top of Moca’s head, as if giving them his blessing. “I saw her mind, so full of grief, and rage, and pain…” He frowned as if judging those feelings despicable. “And I brought her to the light. Isn’t that right, my little sister?”

“At least they’re real and not… empty!” Tomoe screamed, looking at Moca directly in the eye, as if she was begging. To be truly honest, she partly was. “Moca, you  _ have  _ to fight it!”

Moca nodded, with a passionless smile. “No, Tomoe, I don’t…” Their tone was condescending, but not mockingly, as it used to be. It was like they didn’t feel a thing but blind loyalty and trust towards a monster. “I’ve fought enough and I don’t want to fight anymore. I don’t want to leave, I like it here. This is my home now, my family. My place’s with Horde Prime.”

Tomoe couldn’t stop the tears from running down her face, or the anguish inside her throat, that stopped all her words from leaving. Her brain wasn’t able to form many coherent words, anyway. “Tell her what I’ve done for you, sister.”

The constant repetition of the word ‘sister’ was uncomfortable, but surprisingly, it wasn’t the clearest sign of brainwashing in the room. “Prime has given me peace; something you could never do. You broke my heart, Tomoe,” Moca caressed her cheeks carefully and for a second, Tomoe wanted to pretend this was happening in a completely different context. That Moca and her were at home, lying on their bed, sunbathing and cuddling as their foreheads touched. Lovingly instead of tonelessly. “And he made it whole again. All you gave me was lies, while Prime gave me the light, the truth. Don’t you see that this is for the best?” Moca still smiled as they put their hand over Tomoe’s shoulder. “You could be happy, too…”

A second earlier, Tomoe’s eyes were solely full of pain when directed to Moca, but when she looked up at Prime, all that could be seen was rage. “Let them go.”

“If you mean  _ her, _ ” Prime pointed at Moca. “This is how this is gonna go,” His eyes laughed at the way the tables had turned. “I will give her to you, if you want her. But first, you must do something for me. You,” He took several steps closer, towards Tomoe, then put his own hand on her cheek, just like Moca had done before. “You will give me She-Ra.”

Tomoe grabbed Prime’s wrist, pulling it away from her face, and after spitting on his face, she answered, “Never.”

“Very well,” Prime snapped his fingers and a high-pitched feedback could be heard in Tomoe’s in-ear radio. She heard Himari and Tsugumi grunting in pain, and Ran crying out and sobbing quietly, trying not to be heard, without success. The shouting sounds are too loud, making Tomoe’s ear bleed. When she threw away the radio while crying painfully, Prime held it with his feet and smashed it with a crack. “I was compassionate, but you didn’t want my mercy. But She-Ra, you miscalculated,” He now stood in front of Tomoe’s body, who crawled on the ground. Behind them, Moca just watched everything, passively. “I see all. I know all. You thought yourself worthy to challenge me, but you, She-Ra, is nothing but a false hero. A girl who thought it’d be fun to play God, and the universe decided to play along. The last of the First Ones to fall at my hands, leading her companions to destruction,” After that last part, Prime gripped Moca’s shoulder, turning their eyes briefly back to normal, then green again. “So, Tomoe? Will you bring out She-Ra and strike me down? Go on. Fulfill your purpose.

“Ah, yes…” Prime seemed to remember as he heard Tomoe sobbing on the ground. “The two of you must have a lot to catch up. Moca, I’ll leave you to it. Let me know when… your savior’s ready to make a deal,” He left the room with two clones - bodyguards - and all that was left of him in the room was his dry laughter and Moca’s now green eyes.

Moca then attempted a punch at Tomoe, who dodged it and restrained them; they let out their claws, trying to escape, but Tomoe got a grip of their arm. “Moca, listen to me,” She said, breathing loudly. “I know you’re still in there and…” Tomoe took a deep breath, with effort. “I’m not leaving without you. Everything is going to be okay-”

Moca’s bones then cracked, twisting unnaturally in Tomoe’s hold. She groaned in pain as Moca used their other hand to claw her leg, hissing calmly. They were barely sweating. “Everything’s already alright, Tomoe. Come into the light with me. We are with Prime now, there’s no need for you to worry.”

She let out a yell as she grabbed Moca, throwing them from behind themself, and the chip inside their neck was slammed against Horde Prime’s throne. “Snap out of it, Moca… I don’t want to hurt you…” Tomoe cried. For a moment, it seemed that Moca was suffering, but then they laughed maniacally, ending it with a sharp intake of air. 

“But you’ve already hurt me, Tomoe…” They argumented. “And  _ Prime  _ set me free of the pain. The pain that  _ you  _ caused.” The words penetrated inside Tomoe’s chest like knives. “We’re sinful, Tomoe, and he will set us all free… a world without peace, as the ruler intended from the very start!”

Tomoe stared at them, in horrified disbelief. She tried a punch at Moca, who dodged it and returned it; Tomoe grabbed their arms with effort and threw them backward towards the edge of the platform. “Moca!” She screamed while running to them. Out of breath, she pulled them back and embraced them, but Moca only rips the back of her jacket.

“Oh, Tomoe…” Horde Prime and Moca’s voices were now layered together. “How long will you drag this out? You’re destroying the ones you love in the process…” They kick Tomoe’s stomach, putting her on her knees, then hold her over the edge of the platform. 

________________________________

“She was afraid in the end,” Then again, Horde Prime and Moca’s voice overlapped, saying the same things, as if they just repeated what he said. Which was… well, partly true. “And she suffered. Perhaps, I will make  _ her  _ my new vessel. Though I doubt she’d last me long. What do you think…” Now, Prime’s voice started to fade away to give place to Moca’s own instead. “Tomoe?”

She grabbed onto Moca’s arm and screamed as she pushed them back into the platform. She slammed Moca against the monitors the clones were using earlier, making a glass-wrecking noise and the chip inside their neck sparked and crackled with electricity. Their eyes kept going from normal to totally green, interlacing between the emotionless, hysterical laughter and Moca’s actual whooshes and whispers in despair.

“I am  _ not  _ giving up on you!” 

“Then you’re a fool,” Moca said as the monitors beeped in and out behind them. “You cannot stop Horde Prime! He will reign triumphant all over the universe. It’s… destiny-” Electricity zapped behind them and at their ship, making them scream. Tomoe then ran and took them away from the now exploding monitors. The chip was still crackling with electricity as they grunted in pain. “Tomoe…” They whispered because they didn’t seem to be able to speak louder. “You should’ve stayed away… Why did you come back? We both know that I don’t matter…” 

Tomoe cupped Moca’s face with her hands, both filled with tears. “You matter to  _ me. _ ” Moca smiled and half-sobbed, then gasped right before their eyes turned green again. 

“Come on, Moca! You’ve never listened to anyone in your life! Are you really going to start now?!” Now, her face also had tears all around. The chip then sparked and Moca’s eyes were normal once more. 

“You’re such an idiot…” Moca says, sadly but lovingly, while smiling softly. 

“Yeah…” Tomoe half-laughed, half-sobbed. “I know…” Moca laughed, then hugged themself. “I’m taking you home…”

Moca’s eyes returned to normal, but they still sobbed weakly. “...Promise?” They raised their hand, trying to reach out to Tomoe.

“I promise!” She exclaimed, trying to hold Moca’s hands, but before she could, their hands retracted, their bones cracked and painful groans and whimpers left Moca’s mouth. Then, they got up and Tomoe could see their eyes: they were neon green. 

“Disappointing,” Horde Prime’s voice once again overlapped with Moca’s. “Some creatures are destined only for destruction.”

Moca’s eyes become blue-grey again, then they scream as their chip zapped with electricity, making them fall backward. Tomoe shouted and grunted as she watched Moca as they fell; she breathed out, determined, and jumped over the edge.

“Ugh…” Tomoe groaned as she opened her eyes; she touched her head and gasped when she saw Moca laying nearby. She stood, only to thud to the ground and grunt. She then decided to crawl towards them. “Moca…?” Tomoe called softly. She picked up their limp form, carefully and full of concern. “Moca, it’s okay… I’m here…”

Moca breathed softly and Tomoe began to pant, half-sobbing, embracing them closer, half-observing more and more clones surrounding the both of them. Horde Prime’s voice came out of one of the clones, the one who seemed to be closer to Tomoe. “I am sorry for the needless waste, Tomoe. It didn’t have to be like this.” She sobbed quietly as he spoke. “Are you ready to cooperate?”

Tomoe’s hand shakily straightened at the back of Moca’s head, then lowered them away from herself. When she finally opened her eyes, a blue, magical glow was revealed inside her eyes, alongside an energy field whooshing and humming around her; Tomoe then got up, while holding Moca limply with her free arm.

“For the honor of Grayskull!” Tomoe screamed, raising her hand and soon enough, the sword materialized inside it; a bright light shone up the sword and She-Ra’s form revealed itself from a starry silhouette. Carefully, she put Moca’s body, now small in comparison, over her shoulder, and only by swiping the sword at the clones, She-Ra already could knock out most of the brainwashed soldiers. She then physically fought some of the clones left, punching some, kicking others, using her elbows sometimes.

After stepping on the chest of the last clone left, she stared right into their eyes. Somewhere in the spaceship, Prime stood in front of a monitor that showed She-Ra, that looked down at the camera in one of his brothers’ eyes. Before destroying them with her feet, he heard She-Ra on the other side. “ _ You _ miscalculated.”

**Author's Note:**

> yeah, i read the script of she-ra and adapted it into tomoe/moca and also made it more explicitly lgbtphobic.


End file.
